Soap dish insert

ABSTRACT

Implementations of a soap dish insert are provided. In some implementations, the soap dish insert includes a platform raised above a surface by a plurality of legs extending from the bottom of the platform. In some implementations, the platform includes a first opening extending through the platform. The soap dish insert further comprises a hollow member having sidewalls extending from an inner portion of the platform and having an opening extending through the hollow member thereby forming an enclosure. In some implementations, the opening of the hollow member is aligned with the opening of the platform such that the soap dish insert includes an opening extending from the top edge of the soap dish to the bottom of the soap dish insert. In some implementations, the platform further comprises one or more additional openings extending through the platform.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 61/939,344, which was filed on Feb. 13, 2014, and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to implementations of a soap dish insert.

BACKGROUND

Soap dishes are designed to hold a bar of soap when the soap is not in use. Some soap dishes may be designed to drain water when a wet bar of soap is placed in the soap dish. However, existing soap dishes have relatively large surface areas that make contact with the soap. Those areas of the soap that make contact with the soap dish holder may become soft and soggy. This causes several problems. A bar of soap that has soft and soggy portions may dissolve more quickly during subsequent uses and therefore may have a shortened useful life. Furthermore, a bar of soap that has soft and soggy portions can be slippery and therefore difficult to pick up and/or handle. Still further, a bar of soap that has soft and soggy portions can be messy and unsightly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A-C illustrate an example implementation of a soap dish insert according to the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Implementations of a soap dish insert are provided. In some implementations, the soap dish insert includes a platform raised above a surface by a plurality of legs extending from the bottom of the platform. In some implementations, the platform includes a first opening extending through the platform. The soap dish insert further comprises a hollow member having sidewalls extending from an inner portion of the platform and having an opening extending through the hollow member thereby forming an enclosure. In some implementations, the opening of the hollow member is aligned with the opening of the platform such that the soap dish insert includes an opening extending from the top edge of the soap dish to the bottom of the soap dish insert. This may increase air flow underneath a bar of soap placed on top of the soap dish insert, which may cause the bar of soap to dry quicker. The unobstructed drainage passageway also may prevent any soap residue from collecting inside the hollow member when a bar of soap is placed on top of the soap dish insert. In some implementations, the platform further comprises one or more additional openings extending through the platform.

The wider platform below the hollow member on which a bar of soap rests may create stability and may restrict movement of the soap dish insert when placed in a soap dish. Still further, the additional openings extending through the platform may reduce the amount of soap residue that may collect on the platform when a bar of soap is placed on top of the soap dish insert. Still further, the raised platform may permit any water or soap residue to drain through the openings of and away from the soap dish insert. Furthermore, the openings in the platform and other openings of the soap dish insert, may provide airflow such that any water collected in the soap dish may evaporate more quickly.

FIGS. 1A-C illustrate an example implementation of a soap dish insert 100 according to the present disclosure. FIG. 1A is a first prospective view of the soap dish insert 100. FIG. 1B is second prospective view of the soap dish insert 100. FIG. 1C is a bottom view of the soap dish insert 100.

In some implementations, the soap dish insert 100 includes a platform 110 raised above a surface by a plurality of legs 120 extending from the bottom of the platform. In some implementations, the platform 110 includes a first opening 110 a extending through the platform 100. The soap dish insert 100 further comprises a hollow member 130 having sidewalls 130 a extending from an inner portion 110 b of the platform 110 and having an opening 130 b extending through the hollow member 130 thereby forming an enclosure. In some implementations, the opening 130 b of the hollow member 130 is aligned with the opening 110 a of the platform such that the soap dish insert 100 includes an opening extending from the top edge 130 c to the bottom of the soap dish insert 100.

By having an opening extending from the top edge 130 c to the bottom of the soap dish insert 100, there is an unobstructed drainage passageway through the soap dish insert 100. This may increase air flow underneath a bar of soap placed on top of the soap dish insert 100, which may cause the bar of soap to dry quicker. Furthermore, because the bar of soap only makes contact with the top edge 130 c of the hollow member 130, the surface areas of the soap dish insert 100 that make contact with the soap is relatively minimum and may thereby allow the bar of soap to dry more quickly The unobstructed drainage passageway also prevents any soap residue from collecting inside the hollow member 130 when a bar of soap is placed on top of the soap dish insert 100.

The unobstructed drainage passageway is an improvement over the soap holder disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,966,445. The soap holder of the '445 patent includes a base 12 having openings 14. The soap holder of the '445 patent does not included an unobstructed drainage passageway through the soap holder. Accordingly, there is minimum air flow underneath a bar of soap placed on top of the soap holder. Furthermore, soap residue can collect on the base 12 of the soap holder of the '445 patent.

To further improve air flow, in some implementations, the sidewalls 130 a of the hollow member 130 may include one or more cutouts 130 d extending from the top edge 130 c of the hollow member 130. The cutouts 130 d may increase airflow underneath a bar of soap placed on top of the soap dish insert 100 and may reduce the surface areas of the soap dish insert 100 that make contact with the soap thereby allowing the bar of soap to dry more quickly.

In some implementations, the platform 110 further comprises one or more additional openings 110 c extending through the platform 110. In some implementations, one or more of the additional openings 110 c comprising one or more cutouts extending through the platform 110 and extending from the inner portion 110 b of the platform to an outer rim 110 d of the platform 110 thereby creating multiple drainage passageways 110 c through the platform 110. The multiple drainage passageways 110 c may reduce the amount of soap residue that may collect on the platform 110 when a bar of soap is placed on top of the soap dish insert 100.

In some implementations, the shape of the hollow member 130 is cylindrical. In some implementations, the shape of the hollow member 130 may be any shape.

In some implementations, the shape of the platform 110 is oval. In some implementations, the shape of the platform 110 may be any shape.

In some implementations, the plurality of legs 120 are equally distributed on the bottom of the platform 110 to provide stability. In some implementations four legs 120 are distributed on the bottom of the platform 110. In some implementations, less than four legs 120 are distributed on the bottom of the platform 110. In some implementations, more than four legs 120 are distributed on the bottom of the platform 110.

In some implementation, the plurality of legs 120 are configured to raise the platform 110 above a surface on which the soap dish insert may be placed. In this way, any water or soap residue may drain through the openings 110 a, 110 c, and 130 b of and away from the soap dish insert 100.

In some implementations, the soap dish insert 100 may be inserted into an existing soap dish. The wider platform 110 below the hollow member 130 on which a bar of soap rests may create stability and may restrict movement of the soap dish insert 100 within a soap dish. Furthermore, the openings (e.g., 110 c) in the platform and, in some implementations other openings in the soap dish insert 100 (e.g., 110 a, 130 b, and 130 c), may provide airflow such that any water collected in the soap dish may evaporate more quickly. In some implementations, the soap dish insert 100 may be stand-alone.

The wider platform 100 is another improvement over the soap holder disclosed in the '445 patent. The soap holder of the '445 patent does not include a wider platform below the surface on which the bar of soap rests.

In some implementations, to use the soap dish insert 100, the soap dish insert 100 may be placed on a surface. In some implementations, the surface may be the bottom of an existing soap dish. In some implementations, the surface may be any other surface. Then, a bar of soap is placed on the top edge 130 c of the hollow member 130.

In some implementations, the soap dish insert 100 is manufactured from plastic. In some implementations, the soap dish insert 100 is manufactured from any other suitable material.

Reference throughout this specification to “an embodiment” or “implementation” or words of similar import means that a particular described feature, structure, or characteristic is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the phrase “in some implementations” or a phrase of similar import in various places throughout this specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment.

Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which these inventions pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings.

The described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the above description, numerous specific details are provided for a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that embodiments of the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations may not be shown or described in detail.

While operations are depicted in the drawings in a particular order, this should not be understood as requiring that such operations be performed in the particular order shown or in sequential order, or that all illustrated operations be performed, to achieve desirable results. 

1. A soap dish insert comprising: a platform having a first opening extending through the platform; a plurality of leg members extending from the bottom of the platform to raise the platform above a surface; and a hollow member having sidewalls extending from an inner portion of the platform and having an opening extending through the hollow member thereby forming an enclosure, wherein the opening of the hollow member is aligned with the first opening of the platform such that the soap dish insert includes an opening extending from the top edge of the hollow member to the bottom of the platform.
 2. The soap dish insert of claim 1 wherein the sidewalls of the hollow member comprise one or more cutouts extending from the top edge of the hollow member.
 3. The soap dish insert of claim 1 wherein the platform further comprises one or more additional openings extending through the platform.
 4. The soap dish insert of claim 3 wherein the one or more additional openings of the platform are one or more cutouts extending through the platform and extending from the inner portion of the platform to an outer rim of the platform thereby creating multiple drainage passageways through the platform.
 5. The soap dish insert of claim 1 wherein the hollow member is cylindrical.
 6. The soap dish insert of claim 5 wherein the platform is oval.
 7. A method of using the soap dish insert of claim 1, the method comprising: placing the soap dish insert on a surface; and placing a bar of soap on the top edge of the hollow member.
 8. The method of claim 7 wherein the soap dish insert is placed in a soap dish. 